collateral damage
noun
: injury inflicted on something other than an intended target
specifically
: civilian casualties of a military operation
Examples of collateral damage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Evolution brings all kinds of collateral damage.
—
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Well, one person’s cultural tragedy is another, far richer person’s accidental collateral damage.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Peaceful protests are a warning of what happens when the federal government ignores its constitutional obligations and treats human lives as collateral damage.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Well, one person’s cultural tragedy is another, far richer person’s accidental collateral damage.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
Peaceful protests are a warning of what happens when the federal government ignores its constitutional obligations and treats human lives as collateral damage.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
Cite this Entry
“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collateral%20damage. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
